Annotation:Farmer Had a Dog (The)

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FARMER HAD A DOG. AKA and see "Too Young to Marry (1)," "My Love is but a Lassie Yet (1)," "My Love She's but a Lassie Yet (1)," "Chinky Pin." American, Reel. D Major. ADae tuning (fiddle). AB. Bronner (1987) states that this tune may have some ties with the play-party tune "Bingo" (from the opening line "There was a farmer who had a dog"), but the melody of that simple tune bears little resemblance to the one he collected from source Milo Kouf. Kouf's father, from whom he learned the tune, may have elaborated "Bingo" for use as a dance tune, but at any rate the tune was known among Tompkins County, New York, fiddlers of Kouf younger's generation by the title "Farmer Had a Dog." Bronner connects the tune with the "Mason's Apron"/"Wake Up Susan" family of tunes.

Source for notated version: Milo Kouf, 1977 (New York State; learned from his father) [Bronner].

Printed sources: Bronner (Old Time Music Makers of New York State), 1987; No. 44, p. 165.

Recorded sources:




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